Amazon Lily's Endless Gratitude

The voice rang out loud and clear.

The rooftop fell silent for a second.

Shakuyaku's eyes widened at once. She hurried over, grabbed the Den Den Mushi, and asked anxiously, "Is... is that Hancock?"

"It's me, Sister Shakuyaku!" Hancock's excited voice came from the Den Den Mushi.

"That's wonderful!"

Overjoyed, Shakuyaku asked in a trembling voice, "Are you alright? Where are you now? What about Sandersonia and Marigold?"

"It happened like this..." Hancock began recounting what had happened.

Shakuyaku listened intently.

She occasionally interrupted to ask for more details.

More than a dozen female warriors gathered around them, barely daring to breathe as they quietly listened to the conversation.

Further back.

Rayleigh looked astonished. He could hardly believe that a missing child had called back on her own.

It could only be called a miracle.

Just moments ago, they had all been praying for the gods' protection.

That meant that, by any rational judgment, Hancock and the other two had already been beyond saving.

"What a miracle..."

Rayleigh chuckled softly, walked into a corner, and lit a cigarette.

Aboard the Red Hound Pirates' ship.

"W-we've told you everything we know, sir."

"Y-yes, sir. The captain kept things from us too."

The two pirates deliberately left alive stared at Junichi in terror.

Junichi found it somewhat boring.

He had not even seriously interrogated them yet, but the two had completely surrendered and told him everything.

"Fine."

Junichi stuffed the cloth back into their mouths and covered their eyes with black cloth.

He did not kill them.

A ship needed several hands to sail, so he decided to keep them alive for the time being.

"They should be done over there too."

Junichi stood and looked toward the cabin.

He was just about to go inside and see how Hancock's communication with the outside world was going.

Tap, tap, tap...

A set of footsteps came from within the cabin.

Junichi immediately stopped.

A few seconds later.

The three sisters—Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold—walked out of the cabin together.

They first looked around fearfully.

Yet when they saw the pirate corpses strewn across the deck, they did not grow more frightened. Instead, they relaxed.

"Sir!"

Hancock looked at Junichi and ran over with her two younger sisters.

They stopped before Junichi.

The three bowed deeply and solemnly thanked him. "Thank you for saving us!"

"I only did it while I was at it." Junichi's expression remained indifferent. After a pause, he added, "Besides, I don't work for free."

"Of course!" Hancock stood up and held out the Den Den Mushi in both hands.

Junichi looked down.

The Den Den Mushi had taken on the appearance of a short-haired woman and was looking up at Junichi.

In the Pirate World, Den Den Mushi could mimic the appearance and voice of the person on the other end.

It was quite remarkable.

"I got in touch with an elder back home. She would like to speak with you," Hancock said.

"No problem."

Junichi calmly raised a hand and picked up the receiver.

Rather, getting in contact with the person behind Hancock was precisely his goal.

"My name is Junichi Uchiha. Who am I speaking with?" Junichi asked directly.

Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

On the rooftop.

"My name is Junichi Uchiha. Who am I speaking with?" A young man's voice came from the Den Den Mushi.

At the same time, its face mimicked that of a handsome fifteen-year-old boy.

Shakuyaku studied him for a few moments before answering, "Just call me Shakuyaku. Junichi... may I call you that?"

"Of course." Junichi answered readily.

"I can tell you're a straightforward person, so I won't waste words." Shakuyaku took a light breath and said seriously, "Thank you for saving Hancock and the others. Amazon Lily will remember your help."

"As repayment..."

"Devil Fruits, famous blades, money, treasure, ships, weapons—whatever you ask for, we will do our best to gather it for you!"

The female warriors around her all nodded unconsciously at those words.

Junichi had saved their precious candidate for empress!

They had to repay him properly!

They had just heard Hancock's account of what had happened. They could not bear to imagine what would have become of the three sisters without Junichi's rescue.

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony." Junichi did not refuse.

He accepted this reward with a clear conscience.

After a pause.

Junichi added, "I'll need to think over exactly what I want."

"Of course. Take your time considering it," Shakuyaku said quickly.

"Then let's discuss something else." Junichi nodded, making the Den Den Mushi mimic the movement. "This ship is on the route to Kalle Island, not far from the Sabaody Archipelago."

"The captain has a Log Pose for the Sabaody Archipelago."

"If we turn around now, we should arrive in about two days."

At this.

Shakuyaku's expression turned slightly serious. "No problem. I'll wait for you on the Sabaody Archipelago. When you arrive, dock somewhere between Groves 1 and 29."

"Alright." Junichi nodded.

Shakuyaku then explained several precautions.

After hearing them, Junichi hung up and asked Hancock, "I nearly forgot. Do you three know how to sail a ship?"

"We do!"

The three sisters nodded at once.

"We learned navigation."

"Yes, the three of us can handle this ship."

"Mr. Junichi can get some proper rest."

That was perfect.

Junichi nodded, turned toward the two surviving pirates, and shot them dead without hesitation.

It saved him the trouble of training two pirates.

Rather than leave the ship to pirates, it was better to let Hancock and her sisters sail it.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Late on the second night.

At a dock near Grove 13 in the Sabaody Archipelago.

The Red Hound Pirates' ship slowly came to a stop and dropped anchor.

"Everyone!"

Hancock and her sisters rushed down, unable to wait another moment before charging off the ship.

On the dock.

Shakuyaku, Rayleigh, and more than a dozen female warriors welcomed them with delight.

"We're back!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, the three sisters threw themselves into the female warriors' arms.

"It's good that you're back."

"I'm sorry we lost you."

"Forgive me... Hancock, Sanda, Mari."

"There will never be a next time!"

The female warriors held them tightly.

Before long, everyone's shoulders were shaking as they began to cry.

Shakuyaku and Rayleigh stood to the side, watching with wistful eyes. At their age, they had already experienced countless partings in life and death.

So they were not overly emotional.

At that moment.

Junichi also stepped off the ship, carrying a box containing the heads of the Red Hound Pirates.

He intended to exchange them for the bounty.

The entire pirate crew was worth only a little over four million Beli.

But that was still no small amount of money!

"Miss Shakuyaku, and... Senior Rayleigh." Junichi walked over to the two with a smile, his eyes fixed on Rayleigh.

At this point in time, there were still seventeen years before the story began.

Rayleigh was younger than in the original work.

His pale blond hair was streaked with white, yet still retained its luster.

"You know me?"

Noticing Junichi's gaze, Rayleigh raised his brows in surprise.

"The famed right-hand man of the Pirate King—who wouldn't know you?" Junichi asked in return.

"Hahaha..."

Rayleigh laughed and shook his head. "The Roger Pirates have become history. I didn't expect young people to still know about us."